Now Downloading: New Releases 10.05.10

September was a great month for releases, but the back-to-school rush slows down now, eventually turning into a trickle by mid-November. Highlights this week include the debut from Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker and the latest from Clinic, Marnie Stern, Tom Ze, The Gay Blades, Tim Kasher, Tricky, Owen, Guster, Fran Healy, a collaboration between Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur and George Harrison's son Dhani (Fistful of Mercy), an EP from British Sea Power and a slew of reissues of John Lennon.

Playlist: New Releases 10.05.10

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The Corin Tucker Band - 1,000 Years
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

When Sleater-Kinney ended their run back in 2006, it was on the heels of their loudest effort in their long career, 2005's The Woods, so in a sense, they went out with some serious fireworks. Fast-forward four plus years and singer Corin Tucker has had another kid and settled down to domestic life in Portland with her husband (director Lance Bangs). While it hasn't been 1,000 Years since Tucker was a figurehead in the Riot Grrl movement, it can feel like it at times based on this solo debut. Besides being a bit quieter of an affair, the lyrical content deals with domestic life, and it can feel a little weird at times remembering the ferocity of her past. For just about anyone else, this would be a fine debut, but knowing Tucker's past, it can feel half-baked and lacking fire. Still, it serves as a welcome return of an old friend.

Download: "Doubt"
Download: "Riley" [mp3]

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Clinic - Bubblegum
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Early in their career, Liverpool's Clinic figured out their sound -- mush-mouthed pyschedelic-tinged post-punk -- and have pretty much stuck to it through six albums now, including Bubblegum. Sure, opener "I'm Aware" has Ade Blackburn enunciating and there's some rather lush orchestration, but that turns out to be a bit of a red herring as the rest of the album sticks pretty closely to the tried and true Clinic template. And that's not a bad thing, as they do what they do so well. The only other cut that strays from the path, the pounding and distorted "Lion Tamer," turns out to be another highlight by itself, giving the album a much needed boost midway through.

Download: "I'm Aware" [mp3]

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern / "Far Ash", "Transparency is the New Mystery" [mp3]
Tom Zé - Estudando A Bossa / "Síncope Joãobim" [mp3]
The Gay Blades - Savages / Free AOL Album Stream / "Try to Understand" [mp3]
The Avett Brothers - Live, Volume 3 / Free AOL Album Stream
Tim Kasher - The Game of Monogamy / Free AOL Album Stream
British Sea Power - Zeus EP / "Zeus" [mp3]
Tricky - Mixed Race
Owen - New Leaves / "Abandoned Bridges" [mp3]
Guster - Easy Wonderful / Free AOL Album Stream
Fran Healy - Wreckorder / Free AOL Album Stream
Fistful of Mercy - As I Call You Down
Cheap Time - Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations) / "I'd Rather Be Alone" [mp3]
Elizabeth Mitchell - Sunny Day
Donavon Frankenreiter - Glow / Free AOL Album Stream
Bring Me the Horizon - There Is A Hell Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven Let's Keep It A Secret
K.T. Tunstall - Tiger Suit / Free AOL Album Stream
Parenthood (Original Television Soundtrack)
REISSUES
John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band - Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon - Imagine / Free AOL Album Stream
John Lennon - Rock 'N' Roll
John Lennon - Walls and Bridges
John Lennon - Sometime in New York City
John Lennon - Double Fantasy Stripped Down

tags: music, album review, no age, deerhunter, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody

Now Downloading: New Releases 09.29.09

Compared to last (and especially next) week, it's a sparse one for new releases. The Avett Brothers major label debut tops the list, at least for me. The other headliners are mainly compilations, one being the 7 Worlds Collide benefit album (featuring Jeff Tweedy, Neil Finn, Johnny Marr and more) along with soundtracks Where the Wild Things Are (Karen O & friends) and Whip It! (a hodgepodge including Jens Lekman). Then there's a new one from the mostly reunited Alice in Chains, and releases from Hope Sandoval, Zero 7 and Whip It! contributors The Ettes & Landon Pigg.

Playlist: New Releases 09.29.09

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The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

With their major label debut, The Avett Brothers have continued to expand their sound from the simple folk trio of their beginnings. Rick Rubin must have heard them as another The Jayhawks (whom he kind of owns), as with the harmonies and the lushly arranged ballads (like the title track) filtered through Southern sensibilities. (The brothers seemingly rewrote "Let it Be" several times here.) Sure, there are a few uptempo numbers (like the exceptional "Kick Drum Heart"), but it's the slower numbers that rule the day. There is some exceptional songwriting here, which bodes well for future releases.

Free AOL Album Stream

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Karen O and the Kids - Where the Wild Things Are OST
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
7 Worlds Collide - Sun Came Out / Free AOL Album Stream
Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue / Free AOL Album Stream
Whip It [Music From The Motion Picture] / Free AOL Album Stream
The Raveonettes - In & Out of Control (AOL Album Stream a week early)
Zero 7 - Yeah Ghost
Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions - Through The Devil Softly / Free AOL Album Stream
Metalocalypse: Dethklok - Dethalbum II
Miranda Lambert - Revolution / Free AOL Album Stream
The Ettes - Do You Want Power / Free AOL Album Stream
Kill Hannah - Wake Up the Sleepers
Panther - Entropy
Beaujolais - Admirations
Landon Pigg - The Boy Who Never / Free AOL Album Stream
Melvins - Chicken Switch
Drivin' n' Cryin' - Great American Bubble Factory
Langhorne Slim - Be Set Free / Free AOL Album Stream
Elvis Costello - Live At The El Mocambo

tags: music, album review, karen o, avett brothers, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody